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ides。
He drew the curve…bladed fishing knife from its sheath at his back and made ready to fight。 His heart pounded as he tried to guess his peril； to prepare in some way。 An Atreides had no qualms about shedding necessary blood。
The branches and pointed leaves moved； then opened to reveal a round plaz pad on the ground。 With a hum of machinery； a transparent lift tube emerged from beneath the surface； looking totally incongruous on the rugged landscape。
A stocky young man stood inside the transparent tube； grinning a warm wele。 He had blond； unruly hair that looked tousled despite careful bing； he wore loose military…style trousers and a color…shifting camouflage shirt。 His pale； open face had soft edges from outgrown baby fat。 A small pack hung on the stranger's left shoulder； similar to the one he carried in his hand。 He appeared to be about Leto's age。
The transparent lift came to a stop； and a curved door rotated open。 A breath of warm air brushed Leto's hands and face。 He crouched； ready to attack with his fishing knife； though he could not imagine this innocuous…looking stranger to be a killer。
〃You must be Leto Atreides； right？〃 the young man said。 He spoke in Galach； the mon language of the Imperium。 〃So should we start out with a day hike？〃
Leto's gray eyes narrowed and fixed on the purple…and…copper Ixian helix adorning the boy's collar。 Trying to hide his immense relief and maintain a professional； even suspicious facade； Leto nodded and lowered the tip of the knife； which the stranger had pretended not to notice。
〃I'm Rhombur Vernius。 I； uh； thought you'd want to stretch a bit before we settle in down below。 I heard you like being outdoors； though I prefer to be underground myself。 Maybe after you spend a little time with us； you'll feel at home in our cavern cities。 Ix is really quite nice。〃
He looked up at the clouds and high…altitude sleet。 〃Oh； why is it raining？ Vermilion hells； I hate being in unpredictable environments。〃 Rhombur shook his head in disgust。 〃I told weather control to give you a warm； sunny day。 My apologies； Prince Leto but this is just too dreary for me。 How about we go down to the Grand Palais？〃
Catching himself rambling； Rhombur dropped both day packs inside the lift tube and nudged Leto's floating luggage inside as well。 〃It's good to meet you at last。 My father's been talking about Atreides this and Atreides that for so long。 We'll be studying together for some time； probably family trees and Landsraad politics。 I'm eighty…seventh in line to the Golden Lion Throne； but I think you rank even higher than I do。〃
Golden Lion Throne。 The Great Houses were ranked according to an elaborate CHOAM…Landsraad system； and within each House was a sub…hierarchy based upon primogeniture。 Leto's ranking was indeed substantially higher than the Ixian Prince's through his mother he was actually a great…grandson of Elrood IX； through one of his three daughters by his second wife； Yvette。 But the difference was meaningless； the Emperor had many great…grandchildren。 Neither he nor Rhombur would ever get to be Emperor。 Serving as Duke of House Atreides would offer enough of a challenge； Leto thought。
The young men exchanged the half handshake of the Imperium； interlocking fingertips。 The Ixian Prince wore a fire…jewel ring on his right hand； and Leto felt no rough calluses。
〃I thought I was in the wrong place after I'd landed；〃 Leto said； finally letting his uneasiness and confusion show through。 〃I believed I was stranded on some uninhabited rock。 Is this really。。。Ix？ The machine planet？〃 He pointed toward the spectacular peaks； the snow and rocks； the dark forests。
Remembering what his father had told him about the Ixian penchant for security； Leto noted Rhombur's hesitation。 〃Oh； uh； you'll see。 We try not to make ourselves too obvious。〃
The Prince gestured him into the tube； and the plaz door rotated shut。 They plunged through what seemed to be a kilometer of rock。 Rhombur continued to speak calmly even as they plummeted。 〃Because of the nature of our technical operations； Ix has countless secrets and many enemies who'd like to destroy us。 We try to keep our dealings and our resources hidden from prying eyes。〃
The two young men passed through a luminescent honeyb of artificial material； then into a vast expanse of air that revealed a huge grotto…world； a fairyland protected deep within the crust of the planet。
Massive crowns of graceful support girders came into view； connected to diamond lattice columns so tall that the bottoms were not visible below。 The plaz…walled capsule continued to descend； floating free on an Ixian suspensor mechanism。 The capsule's transparent floor gave Leto the unsettling illusion of dropping feetfirst through thin air。 He held on to the side railing while his floating suitcases bobbed around him。
Overhead； he saw what looked like the cloudy Ixian sky and the blue…white sun peeking through。 Projectors concealed on the surface of the planet transmitted actual weather images onto high…resolution screens that covered the rock ceilings。
This enormous underworld made the inside of even a Guild Heighliner look minuscule。 Hanging down from the roof of the stone vault； Leto saw geometric inverted buildings； like inhabited crystal stalactites connected to each other by walkways and tubes。 Teardrop…shaped aircraft sped noiselessly through the subterranean realm； flitting between structures and supports。 Hang gliders carrying people flashed by in streaks of brilliant color。
Far down on the floor of the rough cavern he spotted a lake and rivers all deep underground and protected from outsiders' eyes。
〃Vernii；〃 Rhombur said。 〃Our capital city。〃
As the capsule slid between the hanging stalactite buildings； Leto could make out groundcars； buses； and an aerial tube…transport system。 He felt as if he were inside a magical snowflake。 〃Your buildings are incredibly beautiful；〃 he said； his gray eyes drinking in all the details。 〃I always thought of Ix as a noisy industrial world。〃
〃We； uh； foster that impression for outsiders。 We've discovered structural materials that are not only aesthetically pleasing but extremely light and strong。 Living here underground； we're both protected and hidden。〃
〃And it lets you keep the surface of the world in pristine condition；〃 Leto pointed out。 The Prince of Ix looked as if he hadn't even considered that advantage。
〃The nobles and administrators live in the upper stalactite buildings；〃 Rhombur continued。 〃Workers； shift supervisors； and all the suboid crews live below in warrens。 Everyone works together for the prosperity of Ix。〃
〃More levels beneath this city？ People live even deeper down there？〃 〃Well； not really people。 They're suboids；〃 Rhombur said； with a dismissive wave of one hand。 〃We've specifically bred them to perform drudgery without plaint。 Quite a triumph of genetic engineering。 I don't know what we'd do without them。〃
Their floating partment skirted a tube…transport path and continued to follow the upside…down skyline。 As they approached the most spectacular of the inverted ceiling palaces a huge； angled structure hanging suspended like an archaic cathedral Leto said； 〃I assume your Inquisitors await me？〃 He raised his chin and prepared himself for the ordeal。 〃I've never had a deep mental scan before。〃
Rhombur laughed at him。 〃I can； uh； arrange a mind probe if you really wish to undergo the rigors。。。。〃 The Ixian Prince studied Leto intently。 〃Leto； Leto； if we didn't trust you in the first place； you never would have been allowed on Ix。 Security has； um； changed a lot here since your father's day。 Don't listen to all those dark； sinister stories we spread about ourselves。 They're just to scare away the curious。〃
The capsule finally settled onto a sprawling balcony constructed of interlocking tiles； and Leto felt a holding apparatus engage underneath them。 The chamber began to move laterally toward an armorplaz building。
Leto tried not to let his relief show。 〃All right。 I'll defer to your judgment。〃
〃And I'll do the same when we're on your planet。 Water and fish and open skies。 Caladan sounds。。。uh； wonderful。〃 His tone said the exact opposite。
Household personnel clad in black…and…white livery streamed out of the armor…plaz building。 Forming a neat line on each side of the tube path； the uniformed men and women stood rigidly at attention。
〃This is the Grand Palais；〃 Rhombur said； 〃where our staff will see to your every wish。 Since you're the only current visitor； you might be in for some pampering。〃
〃All these people just to serve。。。me？〃 Leto remembered the times when he'd had to scale and fillet the fish he caught； if he wanted to eat。
〃You are an important dignitary； Leto。 The son of a Duke； the friend of our family； an ally in the Landsraad。 Do you expect anything less？〃
〃In truth； I'm from a House with no substantial wealth； on a planet where the only glamour es from fishermen； harvesters of floating paradan melons； and pundi rice farmers。〃
Rhombur laughed； a friendly peal。 〃Oh； and you're modest； too！〃
Followed by the suspensor…borne luggage； the young men walked side by side up three wide； elegant stairs into the Grand Palais。
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